Anthony’s Golden Cup

If it wasn’t for the aroma of freshly brewed coffee that smacks you as you pass by you could easily mistake Anthony’s Golden Cup for a flag retailer. He tells me that the flags were put up as a part of the World Cup fever and that he hasn’t got round to taking them down. If you weren’t aware of this you wouldn’t think twice about the flags as they fit in perfectly with the bright orange walls clad in newspaper clippings and shelves bustling with coffee, containers filled with rusks and coffee accessories. If you’re looking for a shiny, fresh out-of-the-box designer coffee shop you’re not going to find it here. What you will find is a quirky little coffee spot with a great selection of freshly roasted coffee and a man who is exceptionally passionate about what he does.

Anthony Swartz has been involved in the coffee industry for over 45 years and man does this guy know his stuff. He has a selection of freshly roasted beans that are displayed in an old-school coffee cabinet and you can order them straight up or make a selection for a blend. He also produces a selection of flavoured coffee – think English Toffee, French Vanilla and Irish Cream. I decided to stick with the regular stuff and went for a blend of Costa Rica, Mocha Java and the Continental on Anthony’s recommendation, ground especially for my moka. This blend is rich and as smooth as a baby’s bottom with sweet caramel and subtle nutty notes – great as an after dinner espresso in place of that something sweet. Trust me, you want to try it.